Dede Sophie

Fiji  Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has moved quickly to ensure exiled University of the South Pacific Vice Chancellor, Professor Pal Ahluwalia, returns to Fiji as soon as possible. He has also acted to assist Dr Padma Lal, widow of the late Professor Brij Lal, to bring the ashes of the famed academic back home to Fiji from Australia. She too had been refused entry to Fiji, along with her late husband. Dr Padma Lal, with late Professor Brij Lal. Photo: ANU/Fiji Times “I am ready to meet Dr Lal and Professor Ahluwalia personally,” said Rabuka. “I will apologise on behalf of the people of Fiji for the way they were treated.” Rabuka said he had promised his government would bring to an end the injustices suffered by Professor Ahluwalia, and Professor Brij Lal. These made headline news. He affirmed today that the Vice Chancellor and Dr Lal are now free to enter the country.” Dr Lal had been prevented from coming to Fiji with her husband’s ashes for them to be taken to his birth-place at T...

This historical city located in south eastern Turkey is the gateway to Mesopotamia. It lies at the center of the homeland of the Syriacs, an ancient race who trace their origin to the Akkadian empire, established in Mesopotamia around 2200 BCE. It also served as the capital of the Turkic Artuqid dynasty between the 12th and the 15th centuries. I am talking about the offbeat cultural gem of Mardin that lies on the southern slopes of a 3,450 feet tall highland and that overlooks extensive limestone plateaus. A lot of you might not have heard of Mardin as it was unofficially closed for tourism throughout the 1990s due to long lasting Turkey-PKK conflict in the surrounding countryside. Things are still iffy at the borders, but Mardin is welcoming tourists these days. It is the kind of place that rewards fearless travelers with a keen sense of discovery. And this holds especially true for the Mardin old town that is officially under the protection of UNESCO. This old town is known for its f...